Inelastic collision Definition and 334 Threads

An inelastic collision, in contrast to an elastic collision, is a collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved due to the action of internal friction.
In collisions of macroscopic bodies, some kinetic energy is turned into vibrational energy of the atoms, causing a heating effect, and the bodies are deformed.
The molecules of a gas or liquid rarely experience perfectly elastic collisions because kinetic energy is exchanged between the molecules' translational motion and their internal degrees of freedom with each collision. At any one instant, half the collisions are – to a varying extent – inelastic (the pair possesses less kinetic energy after the collision than before), and half could be described as “super-elastic” (possessing more kinetic energy after the collision than before). Averaged across an entire sample, molecular collisions are elastic.Although inelastic collisions do not conserve kinetic energy, they do obey conservation of momentum. Simple ballistic pendulum problems obey the conservation of kinetic energy only when the block swings to its largest angle.
In nuclear physics, an inelastic collision is one in which the incoming particle causes the nucleus it strikes to become excited or to break up. Deep inelastic scattering is a method of probing the structure of subatomic particles in much the same way as Rutherford probed the inside of the atom (see Rutherford scattering). Such experiments were performed on protons in the late 1960s using high-energy electrons at the Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC). As in Rutherford scattering, deep inelastic scattering of electrons by proton targets revealed that most of the incident electrons interact very little and pass straight through, with only a small number bouncing back. This indicates that the charge in the proton is concentrated in small lumps, reminiscent of Rutherford's discovery that the positive charge in an atom is concentrated at the nucleus. However, in the case of the proton, the evidence suggested three distinct concentrations of charge (quarks) and not one.

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  1. F

    Calculating Speed and Distance in an Inelastic Collision

    Forgive the probable incorrect use of words of physics, I'm not used to writing them in english :) Hope you will understand anyway. Object number 1 is moving horizontally (left to right) with Uniform rectilinear motion at the speed of 10.5 m/s. Its mass is 7.5 Kg. The coefficient of dynamic...
  2. J

    How Do You Calculate Speed After a Partially Inelastic Collision?

    Homework Statement Two identical objects, each moving at 1m/s but in oposite directions collide partially inelastically in one dimension. Assume the final total kinetic energy is half the intial total value. Calculate the final speed of each object Homework Equations This is my...
  3. G

    Inelastic Collision Derivation Help

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/5/c/b/5cbdceba601a68315f744dc1c06e9ba7.png" How wxactly has this equation be derived? http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/3/c/5/3c53f3d1c66725053decc7e3e546c32d.png" Can someone help me with the derivation. I can't trace the orgin of the second part od the...
  4. G

    Inelastic Collision Derivation Help

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/a/8/a/a8a9e87d40533ad47fadb40725a4a3e5.png" How wxactly has this equation be derived? http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/3/c/5/3c53f3d1c66725053decc7e3e546c32d.png" Can someone help me with the derivation. I can't trace the orgin of the second part od the...
  5. H

    Inelastic collision at an angle with two cars

    almost there-inelastic collision at an angle Two cars, both of mass m, collide and stick together. Prior to the collision, one car had been traveling north at speed 2v, while the second was traveling at speed v at an angle phi south of east. After the collision, the two-car system travels at...
  6. B

    What Is the Angle Between Initial Velocities in a Perfectly Inelastic Collision?

    After a completely inelastic collision, two objects of the same mass and same initial speed move away together at half of their initial speed. (a) Find the angle between the initial velocities of the objects ∑pxi = mvi ∑pxf = 2mvfcosӨ mvi = 2mfvcosӨ ∑pyi= mvi ∑pyf = 2mvfsinӨ...
  7. G

    Inelastic collision of two soccer balls of different masses

    You might or might not have seen the astro blaster. But if you drop two soccer balls (stacked together) you'll notice that the smaller top soccer ball lifts up to great heights. I am researching this phenomenon for my extended essay and would really appreciate it if you guys could provide me...
  8. C

    Elastic and Inelastic Collision explanation

    *** Elastic and Inelastic Collision explanation *** 1) Why energy and momentum are conserved in elastic collision? 2) Why only momentum is conserved in inelastic collision? Why energy is not conserved? Answers: Conservation of momentum is a consequence of Newton's third law. From the...
  9. D

    Solving an Inelastic Collision with a Spring: Maximum Compression

    here is how it goes, A block of mass m_1 = 2.0kg slides along a frictionless table with a speed of 10m/s. Directly in front of it, and moving in the same direction, is a block of mass m_2 = 5.0kg moving at 3.0m/s. A massless spring with a spring constant k=1120N/m is attached to the backside of...
  10. T

    Inelastic Collision: Conservation Laws and Calculations

    Say we have 2 particles moving in the same direction, which undergo an elastic collision. Take the rest mass of particle to be m_1, the rest mass of particle 2 to be m_2, with velocities u_1,u_2, with u_1>u_2. Assume they collidie inelastically to form a new particle m3 Are my conservation...
  11. S

    Conservation of Momentum in Inelastic Collisions

    Can anyone help me with this? A steel wrecking ball of mass 200kg is fastned to a 10m long chain which is fixed at the far end to a crane. The ball is released when the chain is horizontal. At the bottom of the path the ball strikes a 1000kg car initally at rest on a frictionless surface. The...
  12. N

    Inelastic collision of ball drop

    a ball is dropped from rest at the top of a 6.10m-tall building, falls straight downward, collides inelastically with the ground, and bounces back. the ball loses 10.0% of its kinetic energy every time it collides with the ground. how many bounces can the ball make and still reach a window sill...
  13. S

    How Does a Spring Affect Maximum Compression in a Totally Inelastic Collision?

    a block of mass m1 = 2kg slides along a frictionless table with a speed of 10m/s. Directly in front of it, and moving in the same direction is a block of mass m2 = 5kg moving at 3.0m/s. A massless spring with a spring constant of k = 1120N/m is attached to the near side of m2. When the blocks...
  14. A

    Inelastic collision and conservation of energy

    I've been working on this problem for a long time now, and my answer's off by about 0.1 m. I've looked at the problem several times, and I can't figure out why my answer's off. I would appreciate any help. Here's the problem, and my work. "A 0.2 kg frame, when suspended from a coil spring, is...
  15. C

    Solving an Unexpected Inelastic Collision Problem

    Okay in an inelastic collision the formula the book taught me to use is this one: m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2)V' Now I've done every single problem in the book including the extra exercises, but of course when it comes to doing the homework they have to ask you questions which they haven't taught...
  16. E

    Perfectly inelastic collision in a spring situation?

    Question A rifle bullet with mass 8.00 g strikes and embeds itself in a block with mass 0.992 kg that rests on a frictionless, horizontal surface and is attached to a coil spring. The impact compresses the spring 15.0 cm. Calibration of the spring shows that a force of 0.750 N is required to...
  17. A

    How Much Kinetic Energy is Lost in a Completely Inelastic Collision?

    Please help. Two particles move perpendicular to each other until they collide. View Figure Particle 1 has mass m and momentum of magnitude 2p, and particle 2 has mass 2m and momentum of magnitude p. Note: Magnitudes are not drawn to scale in any of the figures. a. Suppose that after the...
  18. F

    Inelastic collision of equal masses and velocities

    After a completely inelastic collision between two objects of equal mass, each having initial speed, v, the two move off with speed v/5.5. What was the angle between their initial directions? Well, inelastic collision so it looks like I'll be using the momentum equation in here. My professor...
  19. C

    How to Solve Physics Problems Involving Collisions and Inclines?

    Can anyone help me with theses problems? 1. A 500 g cart is released from rest 1.0 m from the bottom of a frictionless, 30 ramp. The cart rolls down the ramp and bounces off a rubber block at the bottom. The figure shows the force during the collision. After the cart bounces, how far does...
  20. J

    What Determines the Velocity in a Perfectly Inelastic Collision?

    This is probably easy for most people, but I can't quiet seem to understand it. Two automobiles have a perfectly inelastic collision. The automobiles, which are identical models except for the color and which contain only drivers of identical masses, meet at an intersection. Each was moving...
  21. G

    Calculating Speed in Inelastic Collisions

    Hi, I have the following question to solve, and whilst I've got ideas I have no idea if there right: Do we use F=ma ? Thanks Graham
  22. A

    How to Calculate Muzzle Speed in an Inelastic Collision?

    A 16 g bullet strikes and becomes embedded in a 1.30 kg block of wood placed on a horizontal surface just in front of the gun. If the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the surface is 0.22, and the impact drives the block a distance of 8.5 m before it comes to rest, what was...
  23. A

    What Was the Angle Between Two Objects in an Inelastic Collision?

    This problem's got me stumped. "After a completely inelastic collision between two objects of equal mass, each having initial speed v, the two move off together with speed v/3. What was the angle between their initial directions?" Any help would be appreciated!
  24. G

    Inelastic Collision with Friction

    I forget how to solve one dimensional motion problems with friction, which is holding me up in this problem: a 5.00 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 1.2 kg wooden block resting on a horizontal surface. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and surface is .2. The bullet...
  25. P

    Inelastic Collision in the Centre of Mass Frame

    Hi everyone. I need some help with the following question. In a traffic accident, a car of mass 2000kg traveling south collided in the middle of an intersection with a truck of mass 7000kg traveling west. The vehicles locked and skidded off the road long a line pointing southwest. A witness...
  26. P

    Can You Solve This Inelastic Collision Problem Without All Variables?

    Hi everyone. I need some help with the following question. In a traffic accident, a car of mass 2000kg traveling south collided in the middle of an intersection with a truck of mass 7000kg traveling west. The vehicles locked and skidded off the road long a line pointing southwest. A witness...
  27. E

    Rod, Clay, and an Inelastic Collision

    Problem: A thin rod of mass M and length L rests on a frictionless table and is struck at a point L/4 from its center of mass by a clay ball of mass m moving at a speed v (the velocity vector is perpendicular to the rod). The ball sticks to the rod. Determine the translational and rotational...
  28. E

    Rod, Putty, and an Inelastic Collision

    Yet another problem I'm breaking my head with: A thin rod of mass M and length L is suspended vertically from a frictionless pivot at its upper end. A mass m of putty traveling horizontally with a speed v strikes the rod at its center of mass and sticks there. How high does the bottom of the rod...
  29. P

    Finding the Height of a Two-Dimensional Completely Inelastic Collision

    Two identical balls made of putty, each of mass 1.50 kg, are suspended from strings of length 28.0 cm so that they touch when in their equilibrium position. We pull one of the balls back until its string makes an angle theta = 73.0 degrees with the vertical and let it go. It collides totally...
  30. S

    Understanding the Coefficient of Restitution in 2-D Inelastic Collisions

    Hello, This concerns a collision between two spherical balls of equal mass and radius. The collision is two dimensional and not completely elastic. The secondary ball begins stationary. The primary ball travels along the horizontal axis with a given velocity. After the collision, the...
  31. F

    How Can You Calculate the Initial Speed in an Inelastic Collision Problem?

    A car weighing 900 kg is waiting at a stop sign. A car weighing 1200 kg hits the oter car. The cars move .76 m after the collision. The coefficient of friction between the sliding tires and the pavement is .92. I need to find the speed of the car right before the collision. I don't know what...
  32. F

    Need help with an inelastic collision problem

    A car weighing 900 kg is waiting at a stop sign. A car weighing 1200 kg hits the oter car. The cars move .76 m after the collision. The coefficient of friction between the sliding tires and the pavement is .92. I need to find the speed of the car right before the collision. I don't know what...
  33. W

    Calculating Bullet Velocity in Inelastic Collision

    I already posted this in the General room, so sorry. It should have been in here in the first place. Here's a question for anyone out there who would really like to less-than-moderately challenge their physics skills: There is a 40 kilogram box hanging from the ceiling, at rest. A bullet with...
  34. W

    How Fast Was the Bullet in the Inelastic Collision?

    Here's a question for anyone out there who would really like to less than moderately challenge their physics skills: There is a 40 kilogram box hanging from the ceiling, at rest. A bullet with a mass of 0.01 kilogram hits it, forcing it to swing back on the ropes. As it swings back, it gets...
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